Hi, my name is Sophie Duncan. I'm an author of fantasy, paranormal, horror and erotica. Welcome to my blog. Here I'll ramble on about the books I'm reading and writing, ebooks, publishing and anything else I happen to think of.

Tuesday, 11 April 2017

Dragon Diaries - I is for Ivka - A to Z Challenge 2017 #AtoZChallenge

So, what does that mean? Well, each day, I'm going to tell you about a dragon - a dragon inspired by a name that I generated randomly using a name generator (I haven't looked up the derivation of any of these names, I have just run with how they make me feel, their sound on the tongue).

I'll tell you all about my Dragon of the Day, and share some flash fic about their lives. Any genre, any character, any look - prepare to be surprised and (I hope) entertained by my dragonly inspirations :).

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is for Ivka
Ivka lives with her tribe of humans on the mountain planes. They are nomads travelling with their herds. She is only a small dragon, her yellow-green skin camouflaging her against the woody grasses, and she helps her friends by chasing away the wolves with her wings and her flame.

Ivka joins in all aspects of her tribe’s lives: her fire lights the pits that keep them warm; she protects the children when they are at play; she moves around the tents, sleeping in each where she is always welcome; and she’s been known to share a tankard or two of fine fermented takkal with the adults around the fire. But of all her daily interactions, there is one thing that Ivka loves the most: when the nights close in and everyone crowds around the fire for warmth and companionship, Ivka becomes her tribe’s storyteller.

The wind whipped over the top of the fire, pulling the flames upwards as everyone hunkered down and kept the large travel packs between their backs and the icy blast. Within the circle of packs and people, Ivka settled herself down close to the pit and rumbled her approval as half a dozen youngsters leant up against her.

It was time.

Looking deep into the swirling yellows and oranges, Ivka drew in her magic and searched for the tale to tell. She felt the warmth deep inside and slowly the dark and lights began to form shapes. She nodded to herself and blinked languidly before she began, “At the dawn of time there was darkness over all the land.”

The flames parted at their very centre, revealing the dark peat and showing the darkness to all in the circle and Ivka felt their focus slip into place. She sank into the feel of her people.

“Leikan walked in the darkness, alone, blind.”

A single pale flame, barely visible, flickered in the void.

“He wandered for eons of time. He searched - for what he did not know, but still he sought it.”

The flittering figure shrunk away, almost to nothing, and then grew, over and again, reaching, exploring and Ivka shivered at the trembles in her magic.

“Then he found her.”

Her power leapt and the a second flame, brighter than the first, shot up into the space, dancing wildly before its pale companion.

“Erania.”

Her people cooed in wonder as the two tongues of light leapt and twisted, entwining and spinning in the vortex within her story: they had heard this story many times, Ivka loved to tell it, and the joy around her spurred her on.

“The lovers, Leikan and Erania, no longer alone, cavorted through the dark, lost in each other, no longer seeing the black around them.”

Up and around, two then one then two again, up they leapt, the golden dancers.

“And the Heavens watched.”

The wind died down and the fire closed around the couple, the heat spreading over everyone, enlivening and compulsive.

“As long as they had searched for each other, Erania and Leikan danced twice as long, many, many lifetimes, their joy growing with every turn.”

Ivka’s magic grew with the flames as they seemed to leap above the fire, wild, powerful, awesome. All eyes looked up as the deep orange swirled against the dark sky above, anticipation crisp in the air. Ivka stretched up her head, addressing the fire directly now.

“Their love rose beyond the darkness, growing, dancing, leaping until,” the two flames exploded into thousands of sparks, gasps coming from all round the fire, “until all was light.”

The sparks drifted down over her tribe and Ivka relaxed back with her companions.

“And every morning, Leikan and Erania dance again, their love rising from the East,” a small ball of flame floated up out of the fire, “to bring life to the world.”

The final breath of magic flickered away, leaving the flames to lick at the air unguided and the slapping of thighs began all around. Ivka nodded to her friends’ appreciation and then bent down to nuzzle one of her young companions.

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